Welcome to the FMSC Outdoor Program Classroom!
The following programs offer exciting learning opportunities as schools resume lessons following the winter break throughout the Winter/2022 academic year. Please consider which programs seem most suitable to meet your curriculum needs. FMSC works hard to keep your our programs fresh, innovative, exciting, hands-on, learning filled adventures. This remains our promise throughout our 38 th year of science service. Working with you, the Science Center will also adapt any of our programs to fit your unique curriculum needs. Let us help invigorate your STEAM requirements and challenges as you continue the 2022 school season. Together, teamwork and partnership can make all the difference between the ordinary and extraordinary this Winter. Welcome back to the Francis Malcolm Science Center!
FMSC Outdoor Classroom Winter/2022
Note: All programs typically 1.5 hours in length, unless indicated otherwise or arranged with teacher to meet classroom needs. Call FSMC @ 207-488-5451, email info@francismalcolmsciencecenter.com, or send a message on the Frances Malcolm Facebook page for further details; FMSC promises a rapid response to your inquiry.
“Birds! Birds! Birds!”
(All Grades): Students experience and learn more of bird structure, characteristics, habitability, and adaptations. Following the introductory presentation, students will hike on one of the FMSC trails as well as visit the bird sanctuary to listen as well as search for birds applying knowledge to seek characteristics and adaptations.
“Mammals Menagerie”
(All Grades): Learn more of the major characteristics of mammals including examples of hands-on species. How many characteristics can students identify pertaining either to Maine mammals in general or those specifically located in our own FMSC trail system? After a brief introduction, students will don snowshoes (if necessary) and hike to a Science Center trail in search of specimens to learn details of mammal characteristics. A related Scavenger Hunt will further energize this learning adventure.
“The World of Wood” (Tree Talk)”
(All Grades): This program marvelously introduces students to the wonder of tree “know-how” as we examine the local coniferous trees among Science Center trails. Students will create a tree mandala to practice their tree identification skills.
“Tale of a Trail”
(K-5th): Come hike the Plantation Trail while reading our new Tale on the Trail book, Who’s Been Here? A Tale in Tracks by Fran Hodgkins. As we hike, we will learn how to identify animal tracks and other animal signs on the trail. (2 hour program)
“Weather Wonders”
(K-4 th): Cloud types, temperature, air pressure, and precipitation serve as the investigative backdrop to better understand our planet’s unique atmosphere. Appropriate weather instruments brought outside will bring data gathering and measurement skills to the attention of the students. The class will derive a weather statement based upon their observations and consider the rudiments of weather forecasting.
“The Sky’s Unlimited: Telescope Tour of the Francis Malcolm Observatory”
(All Grades): Constructed and supervised in Summer, 2021 by Connor St. Peter, Eagle Scout and recent graduate of the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, the FMSC roll-top roof observatory uniquely offers students first-hand encounters with the world of astronomical observation. Students will learn telescope basics, the function of observatories, and weather permitting, enjoy possible first-hand observations of selected sights.
Explore Nature:
(All Grades) Let’s go on a winter Nature Scavenger Hunt on the FMSC Trails. Using the Scavenger Hunt, we will discover and identify objects such as squirrel middens, old man’s beard lichen, Norway Spruce trees, snowshoe hare tracks and much more in the natural environment around us.
